1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electro-mechanical devices for generating sound-effects and light emitting device (LED) illumination responsive to a change in position or proximity as between two or more such devices, and more particularly relates to such devices being incorporated with toys and novelties whose location changes with use during game play. Combinable toy vehicles and the like include toy vehicle bodies such as battling starships with at least one other proximally combined toy vehicle body adapted to actuate a stimulus producing mechanism in at least one of the toy vehicle bodies for producing at least one predetermined is stimulus appealing to the players.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional combinable toys generally include a toy body and a plurality of attachments or a trigger device such as an encapsulated magnet to trigger pre-established stimulus. Some combinable sound generating toys such as dolls and vehicles make pre-established identifiably sounds when they are tipped. Many toys or devices require some form of manual intervention to generate particular or situation-appropriate tones, voices, or other sound-effects. Most of the modern electronic devices can generate sophisticated tones and sound-effects such as machine-gun fire, laser cannon, phaser, death-ray, and the like, with selector switches set previously to output the desired sound-effects, usually requiring different buttons to be pushed manually to select the various sounds-effects used by players in accordance with interaction with good or bad counterparts based on the game play.
Thus, it is apparent that there is a need for a device which can automatically generate different sound-effects and flashing lights with a change in position of said device when such device is mounted so as to be proximally located or combined with another vehicle or toy controlled by the action of the players.
It is therefore one object of this invention to provide a battery-powered, electro-mechanical device which can automatically generate situation-specific sound-effects with a change in position proximal combination or movements with respect to other such devices detecting the appropriate stimulus magnetically without requiring buttons to be pressed, or switches to be manually selected.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a sound-effect and flashing LED illumination generating device which can be safely and securely mounted within or about a toy enclosure or moving vehicle which is environmentally safe. The stimulus producing mechanism includes bipolar magnetic switching means. The stimulus may include at least one of a sound producing unit or a flashing light emitting unit arranged in at least one of the proximally located combined toy vehicle bodies. The objectives of this invention are achieved as follows. The electro-mechanical device is designed to automatically generate sound-effects and flashing lights when its position is changed, tilted, etc. The battery-powered device is housed to include a combined actuator/sensor for detecting states of the device whereby the detected states produce distinct electronic signals which are routed through an electronic circuit board to the inputs of a sound-effect generator programmed to assign from its internal memory of pre-programmed sound-effects, a different sound-effect or tone combination relative to each positional state detected. Waveform outputs generated by the programmed sound-effect generator drive an audio amplifier/loudspeaker and a LED lamp driver so that the effects are made audible and visible.
The actuator/sensor housed in the device provides a sound-effects generating device with bipolar magnetic switching for activity devices utilizing reed switches actuated by individual poles of permanent or electrical magnets. The sensed output signal from the actuator/sensor may be directed directly to the inputs of the sound-effect generator or appropriately interfaced by means of electronic circuitry. The actuator/sensor is preferably self-contained. The sound-effects generator may be designed with a built-in timer which is programmed to sequence or rotate the sound-effects from their assigned positions to adjacent or new positions based upon a predetermined time interval. Multiple good and bad sound and illumination effects are thereby generated such that good effects are automatically produced by like devices being proximal to one another, while bad effects are the product of a good device being proximally combined with a bad or evil device such as an enemy starship.
The sound-effects generator is also programmed to produce more sound-effects or tones than the actual number of positions it can detect, and after a predetermined time interval a rotating sound pattern shifts out the sound-effect assigned relative to a particular position and introduces a new sound-effect relative to that position. The number of sound-effects generated is limited only by the size of the memory within the sound-effects generator before the whole cycle is repeated.
A timer switch position can also be sensed by an input to the sound-effects generator which is programmed to command the action of the built-in timer to freeze the rotating sound pattern when the switch is OFF, while allowing the resumption of the rotating sound pattern when the switch is back in the ON position. LEDs are positioned on the outer perimeter of the encasement which are activated to flash or blink at fixed or varying duty cycles and rates, by the sound-effects generator through an LED driver.
In order to easily change batteries and facilitate the servicing of the device, battery compartments are positioned within and around the perimeter walls of the encasement with door openings in the rear.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the battery-powered, electro-mechanical device is housed in a rigid encasement and automatically generates sound-effects and flashing lights by employing a sealed actuator/sensor having a non-metallic body, with the bipolar magnetic elements of the actuator/sensor element being the north and south poles of a magnetic element which can-be switched between two switch states under the influence of either of two external magnetic fields having opposite (N/S) polarity. The actuator/sensor mechanism includes a reed switch positioned to detect the position of the magnet associated with the actuator/sensor when it is positioned relative to a field associated with a pole (N/S) of the magnet of another such device. This is accomplished by the magnetic influence of the magnet on the switches which produces distinct electronic signals routed to the inputs of a sound-effect generator programmed to assign from its internal memory of pre-programmed sound-effects, a different sound-effect or tone combination relative to the combination detected. The waveform outputs generated by the programmed sound-effects generator drive an audio amplifier/loudspeaker and, an LED lamp driver in order to make the generated effects audible and visible.